Wine for a wish

Friday

Jun 27, 2014 at 10:18 AMJun 27, 2014 at 10:19 AM

As demonstrated by the recent Auction Napa Valleyís record-breaking event, which raised more than $18.7 million last month for charitable purposes, wineries are highly philanthropic. I experienced that firsthand recebtly at Mortonís The Steakhouse in Bostonís Seaport District.Annually Mortonís and the Charles Krug Winery team up to hold a series of wine dinners and auctions to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Boston dinner was the 42nd charitable dinner the two sponsors held for Make-A-Wish since starting the program eleven years ago.The two firms typically run four or more such events annually, ďcollectively raising close to $1 million with these wine dinners,Ē said Tylor Field III, divisional vice president of Mortonís parent company, Landryís Inc.Make-A-Wish grants a wish to children who are diagnosed with life threatening medical conditions in America and its territories. A typical wish costs an average of $8,000 to $9,000, and each wish is only made possible through the generous donations the organization receives. Two recent events at Morton's in Boston and Reston, Virginia, raised roughly $20,000 for this wonderful cause.Peter Mondavi Jr., co-proprietor of Charles Krug, was at the event and I had the pleasure of spending time with him to talk about both the Make-A-Wish event and the wine industry in general.Peterís family owns and manages the original winery that Peterís grandfather, Cesare, acquired in 1943. Charles Krugís founding by a Prussian immigrant in 1861, and its continuous operation since, makes it Napa Valleyís first and oldest winery.The company currently manages two separate brands, the Charles Krug line of premium wines and its more modestly priced, CK Mondavi line.Peterís father, Peter Sr., initially operated the winery with his father and with Robert Mondavi, prior to Robertís leaving the business and forming the Robert Mondavi Winery in 1966. In the mid-Ď70s, Peterís family purchased Robertís equity and became the sole owners of Charles Krug.It markets almost exclusively in the United States, with the exception of an initial foray into China. Historically focused on the western U.S., itís now growing sales across the country. Based on the wines Iíve tasted, thatís great news for wine drinkers.I enjoy having dinner at Worcesterís 111 Chop House, which began offering 2010 Charles Krug Family Reserve ďGenerationsĒ ($46 retail) by the glass ($14) two months ago. While not inexpensive, itís worth the investment for anyone who likes exceptionally good wine in a Bordeaux-style blend. Itís is a well made, nicely balanced, wine with firms tannins and a luscious, velvety texture.The Mortonís dinner was my first exposure to Krugís top-end offerings and enhanced my already favorable impressions of their wines. The highlight was their 1984 Vintage Selection Napa Valley Cabernet, which attendees universally praised for its elegant structure and soft tannins, impeccable balance and deliciously-long finish.The 2011 Vintage Selection Napa Valley Cabernet ($80) and the new 2011 Family Reserve Howell Mountain-Napa Valley($75), in its inaugural release, were both palate pleasers, favorably emphasizing the winemakerís goal of balancing a subtler European winemaking style with rich California fruit. Thatís a worthy goal and it was well achieved in these wines. The key benefit of that philosophy is creating wines that pair exceptionally well with food, as each of these did with Mortonís delectable, filet mignon.The Howell Mountain was a big hit with me with its big, but well-integrated tannins and scrumptious fruit flavors. Itís a wine that can be consumed now or many years into the future.The 2012 Carneros-NapaValley Chardonnay ($19) was also a big with me for its finesse and elegance.During the auction part of the evening, an 18-liter bottle of the 2011 Vintage Selection Cabernet brought $6,500 to the Make-A-Wish coffers. All in all, it was a wonderful dinner for a terrific purpose. Kudos to Mortonís and Charles Krug for their professionalism and their humanity.Peter Mondavi, Jr. was clearly proud of the fact that the fourth generation of his family still owns and operates the Charles Krug winery. That achievement is only surpassed by the quality of their wines.Contact Mark P. Vincent at winewisdom@yahoo.com.